Burning Brass
by Fettucini Alfredo
Summary: Brass is the worlds second greatest plumber, who has inherited techniques of Pokemon based plumbing. Life has grown dull, and the gleaming city of Goldenrod may no longer be enough to hold him.
1. More than an Alloy

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or any copyrighted content. Any characters not of my creation, belong to the copyright owner, etc.

* * *

><p>Brass is the world's second greatest plumber, and his life has gotten dull.<p>

The water gurgled into the sink and Brass cut the flow after it failed to drain, again. He sighed turning to the west window. Orange light danced into the building from the setting sun, and the Goldenrod skyline shone with the brilliances of a Moltres.

"Gastly, I need your help." Brass pulled out a small statuette from his bag and placed it on the counter top. The purple mist pokemon floated from the statuette and grew to it's normal soccer ball size. It moaned in query. "I need you to check out this pipe." Gastly moaned again then disappeared under the sink. Brass looked once again to the sunset. "What a view, I wish I had such a view."

"Gastly..."

"Yes?"

"Gastly, Gast."

"Damn, are you sure?" It nodded its perfectly sphereical purple head. "Oh well, thank you Gastly, you can go back to sleep." Gastly nodded, and shrunk to squeeze back into its ornate white statuette, which gleamed yellow in the light. Brass picked up the small figurine and hid it away in his workshirt. From his tool satchel on the floor nearby, Brass retreived a large plastic bag. "Might be a bit big, but sometimes one should overcompensate. As the old man said, anything can fit in a big too big, nothing fits in a bag too small."

"Grimer, it's clean up time." The Pokėball's red light fadedand the puddle of sludge filled the sink. "Okay, Grimer, I want you to really get in there. If there is a single scrap of crap in that drain when your done, then I'm sending you back to my sister at the power plant!"

"Grimer, Grime." The two bulbous eyes vanished in the pile of sludge, and for a second Brass thoguht he might be able to handle the smell. He couldn't. It's a good thing he had already prepared the waste bag.

Once again he stared at the sunset, now from the balconey of the appartment building. The old radio tower loomed to the north, end he could barely see the Pokéathalon Dome. "I imagine sis in Kanto never sees a sunset like that." A trio of Murkrow flutteredby and perched on the next balconey over. The window pane slid open and the birds fled as young brunette stepped out. She watched the Murkrow flee, a glimmer in her eye. A Furret crawled out and circled her legs. She turned to Brass and smiled. All he could do was turn and smile back.

"I'm back, are you almost done!" The client had returned. Was he done. Wait, the Grimer. Brass dashed back inside grabbing the plastic bag. "Don't come into the kitchen, don't worry I'm almost done. Grimer, you know what to do." He held the bag out near the sink, and the head bobbed up out of the purple liquid flesh. An opening appeared in the head, and from it poored a mass of greyish orange sludge. In ten seconds the bag was half full, in another three it was done. "Good job Grimer, return."

"What's that bag your holding?" the sharply dressed client asked when Brass left the kitchen.

"Only everything clogging up your sink for the past three years."

"Thanks, If I have any other trouble I'll send for you again."

"I'll just leave the bill downstairs in you inbox." Brass closed the door behind him and headed toward the elevator. There was no way he was going to carry the waste down stairs, none at all.

"Oh, hello," Brass looked up, it was the same brown haired girl from the balcony over.

"Oh, hi. um..." What to do, what to do? "Here is my card. Brass Minstra, Second best plumber on the planet."

She giggled. "How prestigous, second best, nyeh? I'm Laure, among other things, I managed the garden atop the department store. Would you mind moving? I have to get inside."

"Oh, of course, sorry." No wonder he had dressed so nicely.

"Bye..." She gave a tiny wave her head and hand sticking out from behind the door.

"Bye." He returned the wave and the door crunched shut.


	2. Street Battle Part 1

"Hey, old guy!" Brass immediately slammed his brakes and skidded to a stop.

"What, was that!" He stared at the boy, probably, barely ten, but dressed in a sweater and shorts, its hat twisted backwards on his head. "What did you say, punk?"

"I said, 'Hey old man!'"

"What do you want, kid?"

"I would like to battle you pops."

"I am not old."

"But you have Pokémon."

"Yes."

"Let's battle then."

"Fine, shortling, anif I win you stop calling me 'old guy' and leave me alone."

"But if you lose, I get to call you gramps all I want, and tomorrow, you must show me around the city." The kid lifted a red and yellow Pokéball from a clip on his jacket. "How's three Pokémon each?"

"Fine." Brass had left his bike lying on the sidewalk and the two had moved into the center of the street.

"Then I'll go first. Bugbite, come out to play." The small green spider appeared begore him, making a disturbing clicking noise. Brass had never seen an Pokémon bow before, but the creature's following gesture, seemed like a close approximation.

"Gastly, come out." Brass held the small statue out in front of him so the ghost would not have to phase through his closing, and leave an ectoplasmic mess on the fabric. The kid pulled out a small metal device. "Hey is a Pokédex?"

"If you weren't old you would know that. Now, lets get started. Bugbite, use stringshot!" Webbing sprayed from the bug type, string after string, but the Gastly dodged each one with no effort at all.

"You think that will slow a ghost down? Gastly use lick." Gastly faded from view, but then rematerialized behind the Spinarak. Bugbite turned and hesitated, intimidated the floating eyes before it. The tongue slapped its face and suddenly it couldn't move.

"Bugbite, are you okay?" Trapped in a wave of both disgust and fear, the Spinarak stood, half teetering on collapse. It did not respond. "Fine, return. Go Pidgey, use Gust." The bird flew from its Pokéball screaming in its action. A large wind burst from from nowhere and Gastly was gone, completely blown away.

"How'd you like that?"

"No worries. Come on out Magnemite?" Click, click, click. "Damn ball. I told her not to send me anything caught in a ball made by that damn Johnathan." He muttered to himself.

"What are you saying?"

"One moment. Some incompetant made this thing from some Kanto acorn, he is not the best designer." Click! Magnemite sprang forth, clicking back and forth. "Use Thunderwave!" Light and static charge eminated from the steel hull and its ring form sprang towards the small bird. In reaction the pidgeon Pokémon dashed into the darkening sky.

Brass checked his watch. Only forty seconds.

With sudden force it came crashing back towards the magnet, slamming into it hard into the ground. Magnemite recovered as the Pidgey flew up again. Fifteen seconds. "Get ready to take the charge, Magnemite!" The kid stood confused, not understanding. Magnemite, however, position itself between two of the unlit lamp posts. Ten seconds. Eight seconds. Six seconds. Pidgey came hurtling back to earth bent on the defeat of the magnet Pokémon below. Three seconds,...two...one.

"No, Pidgey Stop!" He realized it too late.

"Use Spark!" Somewhere in the distances a clocktower struck six. Street lamps buzzed into life all around Goldenrod, but two roared. From the two posts flew streams of shining energy pulsating into each of the Magnemites two limbs to be channeled into its core. The Pidgey fainted when it realized what was going to hit it. Then the electical shock woke it up.


	3. Street Battle Part 2

"I suppose I should start adding chapter quotes."

* * *

><p>"You did well Pidgey."<p>

Brass was more worried about the light posts. A moment ago they shone brilliantly, but now it seemed all they could muster was a flicker. The field of battle grew dark as the last of the sun vanished.

"Let's wrap this up, kid."

"If you are in such a hurry to lose... Cynder, come on out." Brass sighed. What appeared before him was a Cyndaquil. Very creative naming, kids these days...

"Use Ember!"

"Dodge it Magnemite." Before it could move Magnemite had to pull it self back together. Both trainer and plumber were astonished at the disasterous result. As soon as all three pieces of the metalic beast reunited, it glowed and slammed into to clossest streetlamp fastest then anyone could see. Cynder's Ember attack missed, but Magnemite was halted. "Can you move?"

"Mag...ne..mite." It struggled uselessly.

"Seems like the poor think got supercharge. Return! I will cede that victory to you. But I am not done yet. Grimer, how would you like to get some exercise?"

"Ember." Grimer was too slow to dodge completely and lost some of its mass.

"Use Sludge, ligten your load." Grimer launched a large glob of itself at the fire pokemon, shrinking in size.

"Stay away and keep on with your Ember." Blast of sick sludge met buring flamer and the resulting smell was not much different then that of burning plastic. However, Grimer was now growing smaller and smaller.

"Catch him and use Pound!" Grimer moved fast. Having lost sixty percent of its entire mass it was almost at its full locomotive efficiency. The Cyndaquil was still faster. It darted back and continued to burn off Grimer's defenses. "Use Poison Gas." Brass was disappointed in Grimer.

"Burn through it with Flame Wheel." Fire roared from the tiny flame Pokémon, completely engulfing it. The bonfire raged toward Grimer, ready to absolutely annihilate what was left of the sludge.

The trainer's Cyndaquil passed through where Grimer was with no resistance. It was gone.

"I don't want to see Grimer die. You won kid, we both know it. Give me your gear number, and I'll meet you outside to Pokémon Center tomorrow."

"Okay, Granpa." Brass sighed. What didn't he just ride away. The two exhanged numbers and parted. That kid has probably seen half of Johto already. Brass only knew Goldenrod and Saffron. Everywhere else was a mystery really.

When he got home ton his minimal apartment he set his Pokégear to direct any calls to other members of the Pokémon Plumbing League. When he finished he looked around. Nothing he really cared about was here. Sure some movies, posters, a bed and computer, but that was it. Maybe it was time for a vacation. It's not like he spent his money on anything else. "Maybe I should leave a message for sis..."

"Bronze Ministra here, sorry I can't access my Pokégear right now, leave a message after the beep, or whenever."

[Beep]

"Hey sis. Your brother here. I am think of taking a vacation and leaving Goldenrod for a bit. Just thought you should know. Bye. Oh and that Magnemite you sent me, the ball still has issues."

* * *

><p>fishoom Thanks for the first review. My mind's process is a mystery even to me. If I figure it out, I'll tell you.<p> 


	4. You Can't Win

"You are being an idiot!"

* * *

><p>"Sorry kid, I don't think you can win."<p>

"One, the name is Jack, second, what the hell do you know about Pokémon anyway? Your just plumber, old man."

"That is the world's second greatest plumber to you. I may not be a master in Pokémon, but I have lived in Goldenrod most of my life. I've taken enough dates to watch gym battles. I know how Whitney operates. What do you have other than what I saw last night?"

"A Bellsprout from around Violet, Slowpoke from Azalea, and Ditto."

"You might have a chance if your Slowpoke has unlocked its abilities, or if the Bellsprout is well trained. All I can say is don't lead with Cynder, Bugbite, or your Pidgey, her Miltank will knock 'em out in the first round."

Jack pushed the gym doors inward and stepped in. It was a rather plain stadium, tiles filled the floor in atrocious light blue and pink. A large number of young girls milled about gathering in groups, most held thos obnoxiously cute Pokémon in their arms. Brass hated that cutesy stuff.

"Hey!" Jack shouted, "Where is the gym leader, I want a battle." All stared at the two, giving dissatisfied looks.

"I am the leader here." A young woman with pink hair, tied back in what might be compared to tail wings, stepped out. Brass noticed her stripped socks - he's weird like that. "And who are you?"

"I am Jack from Cherrygrove City. I have come here to challenge you and claim the Plain Badge."

"And this man?"

"I am the second greatest plumber in the world."

"Why are you here?"

"He beat me in a battle and forced me to chaperone him." The leader stared at him intently. "What? I never said I was a battler, Brass is my name and pipes are my game. Anything else is out of my nature."

"Then go sit down." She turned to the others in the gym, "Girls, we have a challenger. Clear the field!" Turing back, "How about two on two?"

"Whatever the rules I will win."

"A bit cocky aren't you?"

"Trainer, Leader, take your places!" A female referee, dressed in what could not have been the standard uniform, announced. The floor finished clearing off, and Brass had taken a spot in the western bleachers. He was alone. Opposite was what must have been every fangirl that had been looming around. They all gave him a nasty glare,"the supporter of the opponent of our dearest Whitney, he must be shunned."

"Round One!" shouted the referee.

"Come on out Miltank."

"Cynder, go!"

That stupid kid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He won't even be able to handle Miltank, let alone Clefairy too. "Jack, You are being an idiot!" The Whitney fangirls were giving him a confused stare. Wasn't he supposed to be on the kid's side?

"I can handle myself. Flame Wheel!"

"Too slow, Rollout!" Cynder tried to build up its flame, but Miltank hit it first, rolling from across the stadium at a ridiculous speed.

"Smoke Screen!" The cloud filled half the stadium, and Miltank came rolling back to Whitney after its following miss.

"Miltank, Attract." The cow did a small four step dance, completely uninterpretable to human eyes, and somehow through the screen Cynder saw it and stepped toward the pink cow. "Stomp!" Jack did not see the end.

"Cyndaquil is unable to battle. Miltank wins."

The smoke cleared and the beaten Cyndaquil came into sight. One or two of the fangirls gasped, a thrid ran to retrieve the poor animal and carry him to the side.

"Don't worry kid, that's one of Nurse Joy's nieces, she will take care of Cynder until we're done. Unless you want to give up?"

"No way! Bellsprout go."

"There's no way he is going to win." Brass mused to himself.

"Do you doubt the power of his Bellsprout?"

"No, but even if he beats the Miltank, I have seen her Clefairy pullout fire-type moves."

"Through Metronome. You really don't know much Pokémon do you?"

"How did you hear that, we were outside..." He turned to look at the commentator.

"I was right behind you waiting to get in."

"Your the one who manages the roof garden!"

"Glad you remembered, it's not we met that long ago."

"Laure, you have that Furret." The the seat clattered and he turned to the left. Brown eyes met his. The beast's smile... No, must resist adorability. He turned back to Laure, "So this is 'among other things'."

"I like to keep my Furret and other pets in shape." Furret hopped into her lap. "Look at the field." Brass turned his head and looked. "Now, check the Bellsprout, do you not see and strong its pigmentation is? The strong green of its leave and shining yellow head? If I had to guess he should be evolving soon."

He turned back to Luare, "I see it, but we both know Whitney's Clefairy is almost as strong as her Miltank." In the background, Miltank rolled toward Bellsrpout but was caught and thrown by Vine Whip, in a way one might compare to aikido. Laure giggled. Brass was still watching her, "What?" Miltank came at Bellsprout who threw her into the air again, battering it with Razor Leafs. She broke out laughing. "What?" The bleachers shook slightly when Miltank hit the ground.

"Turn around."

Brass turned back to the field, "Oh."

"Miltank is unable to battle!"

Bellsprout began to glow.


	5. Or Maybe You Can

"... nevermind."

* * *

><p>"Told you he had it in him."<p>

"The kid, or the Bellsrpout?"

"Both. He has been training that little guy hard since he captured it. Only a trainer that really cares for his Pokémon has them when he needs to pull out a victory like that."

"And the Clefairy?"

"We both know that Weepinbell can handle it."

"If you say so." He stared complacently at the match. "I am no trainer."

Weepinbell sat on the field waiting for its opponent to appear. Whitney stared at it from her side. "Are you ready yet?"

"Leader, do you forfeit the match?" The referee almost whined to Whitney, not actually trying to sound impartial as would be expected.

"No! We will finish this match. Clefairy, come on out." The small pink Pokémon was decorated with a small sky blue bow on one ear.

"Clefairy!" It cheered with glee, giving off and impression entirely different to that of its trainer.

"Double Slap." Clefairy charge the Weepinbell.

"Growth!" Jack ordered, and Weepingbell quickly began to grow. The difference in height between the two combatants shifted from a third of a meter, to more then half. Clefairy's Double Slap impacted with the target, but only managed to bruise the the bloated plant. "Now, Wrap."

"Metrenome." A large vortex of winds formed around the two, and Weepinbell was flung askew, landing with a crack upon the tiled floor. Using its vine-like appendages the sprout sat itself up again. "Try again."

Clefairy waved its hands back, and then forth again, then paused. Its entire body began to glow blue, and soon the glow had evolved into a magnificence. With a high pitched squeal, Clefairy opened its mouth and a mountain of blue fire erupted toward Weepingbell. The legendary blaze baked the floor turning stone to glass as it rolled across the air. Weepinbell disappeared into the shining inferno, and the attack it continued toward the south bleechers.

Brass quickly grabbed Laure by the arm and dashed, jumping off the bleachers, feeling the heat approach. He landed first, and would have not sprained his ankle if someone hadn't landed on top of him. From the ground he turned his head to see. The light steel seats were missing ninety percent of their original formal, and a third of the gym was melted. The wall glowed with residue heat.

Whitney stood perfectly still in awe of what her tine Clefairy just did.

"Where's Weepinbell?" Brass asked, not quite sure he wanted to know the answer.

Some of the fangirls looked like they might cry. There was nothing left.

"Don't worry, everyone! Weepinbell is right here in her Pokéball." Everybody stared at Jack. "What, I brought her back right before she bought it, see?" And the Weepinbell was released, shaking profusely, but intact. It then fainted from shock.

"Weepinbell is unable to-"

"Be quiet. This battle is over. Come here kid." Jack ran over to Whitney, and stood still before her. She surveyed the room, Laure was just helping Brass stand again. "Kid, no, Jack. You failed to give up when you had the chance, as well as make a comback afterward. Furthermore when my little Clefairy here got out of hand, you had the innate skill to return your Weepinbell before it was incinerated completely. It is that skill, and your deep love for your Pokémon, that I present you with this Plain Badge."

Half melted metal creaked and fell to the ground. No one spoke. Then, as if rehearsed, Whitney winked at the referee, who dropped the red and green flags and produced a pair of pom poms from her sleeves. Turning toward the fangirls she raised both frilly cheer tokens, and applauses fill the gym.

"He did not, 'win' the match." Brass mused as Laure helped him to the door.

"He got the badge, isn't that enough?"

"He did not win."

"Yet, he earned, and is that so much different?"

"No, I suppose not."

Jack passed by the two when they were mere feet from the door, carried by a dozen of the fans. "Thanks, Plumber!" he shouted. Brass nodded back.

The gym door clunked behind them. Brass looked up to the sky and smiled.

"Why?"

"Our battle, last night, I... nevermind." With Laures help he continued on to the hospital, feeling pain and joy in every step.


	6. Bag of Goodies

Laure helped Brass to the hospital, leaving him once he was taken care of. She parted with a smile on her face and Brass reciprocated. Now he was alone in the white-washed room, waiting for someone to tell him exactly how bad his ankle was and if it would be dramatically unhealth to walk on. He passively stared out of the window.

Heavy flapping came closer and closer. He continued to look outside and noticed dust and leaves beginning to rise up. Slowly the Pidgeot began to land. Around its neck was a metal belt, with a large deviced placed just on the back of the neck. A young lass jumped off of it with a heavy looking shoulderbag. She petted the giant bird and whispered something to it. Pidgeot nodded back and froze like a statue. The girl ran to the nearest entrance.

Only a minute later did he hear her knock. "What is it?"

"Express delivery for Brass Ministra from a Bronze."

"Come in. How did you find me?"

"Oh, well Pidgeot there has a g.p.s., can track any Pokégear if we got number." She wore a heavy jacket and an aviation cap. "Mind showing me your gear, for confirmation?"

"Right, here it is," he sat on the edge of the bed, "And the package." She held his Pokégear up to hers and it clicked happily. She handed it back.

"Let's see," she looked at the devices tiny screen. "This bag, and the entirety of its contents. Excuse me while I double check." She opened the satchels main section and compared the contents to a digital list. "Yep, it's all there. Before I go, would you mind filling this tiny form out? You see the better reports I get, the fun jobs I get to take."

He took the form and removed one of the volumes from the bag to use as a hard surface. "Have a pen?" She managed to produce a pen from somewhere, and he quickly started on the form: What day was the delivery received on; are all contents in described condition; has our representative remained friendly and likeable whilst the delivery is concluded; etc. "There you go kid. Got a name?"

"On the card. Sorry I got to go. Have deliveries in Olivine, and Blackthorn to get done today, before getting back to Violet by sundown. Goodbye, and good luck." She dashed down the hallway. Brass turned to the window and she appeared next to the majestic bird. With grace she landed on the Pidgeot's back and soon they had flown out of sight.

Brass looked down at the volume he had pulled out earlier. The corner of a tiny black card stuck out. Brass removed and examined the card. The front beared a pixelized version of Pidgeot and in large white font, spread across the entire width, announced, "Pidgeot Express Delivery," followed on the bottom in smaller letters, "Any package, Any where. Guranteed Speed, Safety, and Professionalism." On the back was the kind message, "You have been served by Firefly Jones," followed by a number to call if you would like to request a delivery. There is no way that was her real name.

He then turned his attention to the volume itself. It was simply titled, _The World_ and was decorated by a map of both Johto and Kanto regions. Brass opened up to the table of contents and a letter slid out. He picked it up, nodded at his sister's notoriously poor handwriting, and set it in the book's index to decipher when he had more time.

It seemed the hundred paged book served as an atlas, and general guidebook for the Johto, Kanto, and Hoenn regions. Brass knew that more existed. Whoever wrote the book must have a small view of the world, or have some ridiculous vendetta on the other provinces. He found: _The Complete Kanto/Johto Pok__é__mon Encyclopedia_ (data contributed by a Red and a Gold – what's up with those names?), that was about three hundred pages long; _Ancient Technologies_, which contained investigations on questions like, "Did the builders of Alph invent the battery?" and the answers, "No," in that case; and Mini-booklet full of plumbing issues that could be identified through deductive reasoning.

"Man, I love you sis."

"I'm sorry it took so long, sir. Would you mind repeating to me what happened to your leg."

Brass hobbled home. Apparently he should be able to walk better in the morning, but apparently biking was off limits. Oh, well.

"Bronze Ministra here, sorry I can't access my Pokégear right now, leave a message after the beep, or whenever."

[Beep]

"Hey sis, Brass again. I was going to leave today, but my leg got jammed up. Will be setting out south tomorrow. Thanks for the bag of books. You were always the one who knew how to prepare. Goodnight, and thanks again."

"Hey, this is Jack, the best trainer ever born! I'm probably asleep right now so just leave a message."

[Beep]

"Hey punk, Brass here. I will be leaving town tomorrow, and am clearing out some stuff. I can't use my bike right now. If you want to you can borrow it until, whenever. I will leave it locked around the gym with the key stuck under the seat. Thanks for... welll.. new energy! Sweet dreams kid."


	7. Weird Worm in Ilex Forest

"Why's that there bag squirming."

* * *

><p>Brass stumbled through Ilex Forest, foot still throbbing from being fell upon. Each step brought a new spike of pain, as well as another thump of his two shoulder bags, his set of tools, and the one sent from his sister. He thought he had everything he needed, from a dozen packs of trail mix, to industrial strength waste bags, and everything he needed to dismantle and re-install a sink, not that it would be of much use.<p>

He scanned the canopy, trees, and path. The trail seemed fairly worn and he was somewhat confident he wouldn't get lost. While leaving Goldenrod he had been accousted by an old woman with an unwanted egg. Apparently the trainer it belonged to denied ownership, and she had to dispose of it somehow. Brass held its container close to his chest. He had seen it earlier, but he decided to glance at the yellow and brown shell again.

And his foot caught. Brass managed to turn and land on his right shoulder, squeezing the chamber with both arms. "Damn root." He looked up, towards the side of the rode. A clearing stood just beyong the seemingly impenetrable wall of wood. Slowly standing again, he laid the egg chamber by a tree and surrounded it with his bags.

With great difficult Brass managed to squeeze through the opening he had spotted the clearing through. Once inside he scanned it. It opened more to his left, and at the center stood a great circle of trees. "Five minutes, I'll be right back." He told himself, and began to walk through the knee high grass. He halted as a sudden chill ran down his spine. Brass looked over his should and then back for- "Ahh!" falling back into the wet grass.

"Gastly. You scared me." The purple orb laughed sardonicly. "Where have you been?" He asked pulling out the statuette to house the ghost. It chucled again. "Ecruteak, huh. What you have some ghost-buddies there?" Gastly laughed again and the shrunk into the small figurine.

Brass stood again, not minding the wetness. If such a thing would bother him, why the hell would hebe a plumber. His boots squelched in the grass, and muddyness that seemed to grow more and more prominent as he drew closer to the tree circle.

The tightness of the formation halted him, but he could beam inside. About a meter from each end was the stump of the great oak that spawned the ring. "What the hell is that?" A small red spined worm sat on the dead wood. It turned and eyed Brass. "Hey, wait here." The thing turned back to a leaf it was munching on.

Brass dashed to his bag and pulled out _The Complete Kanto/Johto Pok__é__mon Encyclopedia_. Quickly he flipped through the pages looking for any sign of a red worm. There was an instance of a red Weedle, but not in Johto, and this was not a Weedle. Suddenly Brass wished he had bought a Pokéball, it's not as if they were that exspensive.

Instead he grabbed one of his bags of trail mix and headed back out, to the clearing. He decided to start with a nut. There's no need to waste a chocolate unless you have to, right? The odd critter wasn't happy with the salty snack. Brass made sure to test every type, but apparently none were in its taste.

However, once Brass finally defaulted to the chocolates, the red beastie jumped. Slowly Brass tossed chocolates closer and closer to the openening, until he backed up behind one of the ring's trees, and threw a chocolate outside of the circle. The stupid thing quickly jumped out of its protected niche for the chocolate. Such was the worm's downfall.

Withing seconds it was trapped in one of the toughest plastic bags developed by human kind. It struggle rampantly, but then settled. Brass opened the bag and looked in. The worm stared back at him. Brass picked a few chocolates and held his hand to the worm. It nibbled at the sweets and then bit his finger. Reflexsively he withdrew his hand and closed the bag, but he tried not to cut off air flow completely. Squeezing back on to the path he planned to reorganize so he could carry the bag also.

"Halt, poacher!"

"But I-"

"Hands up or little Bip will pounce ya." Brass eyed the Growlithe next to the dirty looking man, holding the bag, and trailmix above his head. "Now, if ya inooceant, explain."

"I was just travelling."

"Why's that there bag squirming."

"You see, I found this really odd pokémon, in that clearing, through there. I compared it to the encyclopedia, but found no match. No pokéballs, this was the only way to grab it."

"And that's it, ay? I know these woods like the back of me hand, show it." Brass lowered the bag down, 'little' Bip was still growling at him. He carefully found the few chocolates left in the mix, and palmed them. Using his left arm, he baited the red worm, then grabbed it with his right, leaving the storage bag on the ground. It squirmed as he lifted it, but was soon pacified as chocolate was shove within munching distance.

"My... I've been in the wood's for half my life, nothing like that I've seen. Well, umm, sorry about the accusation. Would you like to come back to my place, have a cup of tea? I don't have company much. Little Bip, you can stop growling now."

Brass suddenly began to feel his leg starting to hurt again. "Why not, is it far?"

"Not nearly a mile, cityman. I assume you don't want to carry all of that."

"Well, no. Could you maybe just grab the tool bag, I can handle the rest." This forest man nodded, and picked up the disposal bag left from the worm, and stuffed into the tool kit. Brass was a bit encumbered with the beastie.

"Here is your bag," he lowered the light brown messenger bag over Brass's shoulder. "I'll take the egg, if you don't mind. We don't want you dropping it."

"Be my guest. What's your name?"

"Werrick, yours?"

"Brass. World's second greatest plumber. Exactly what do you do?"

"I decided to dedicate me life to this here forest, guard it, keep it healthy."

"Uh, interesting." Brass replied and they walked on in silence.


	8. A Cup of Tea

"Sorry, no sugar."

* * *

><p>Werrick removed the raging kettle from the fireplace and poured its scalding water into the mismatched clay mugs. From the small tea box he scooped two spoonfuls of purple red powder into each cup, stirring it into the liquid. "I'm sorry I have no sugar."<p>

Brass looked around the single room cabin, curious how someone lived like this. Only this single table, the cabinents across from the door, the single fireflace, and the bread opposite of that. It was... cozy."It's fine, I hear berry tea can taste better without added sugar."

"Can I see the book?"

"Which, the encyclopedia?"

"Yes, that one." Brass's bags were left by his seat, the egg on the table, and the mysterious worm next to it, where it had fallen asleep. He set the cup down and retrieved the volume from the bag. He handed it to Werrick who set in in front of him and flipped through it, nodding and some pages here and there. He froze for a second on a page with what looked like a tree on it. Then he laughed.

"What's so funny?" Werrick held the book up to see the page. What looked like a tree suddenly had a face.

"I had an encounter with one of these guys maybe a year back. Jokers really, hate water as much Bip does thoughs."

"I was curious about Bip actually." Werrick returned back to the book, and continued to scan through it.

"What about 'em."

"How long have you had him."

"A couple years,. Why? You think he should be an arcer, by now? It takes a special stone to do it." Brass was embarassed. Stupid, stupid. "Try the tea." He did, and his face cringed involuntarily. Suddenly he really wished he had sugar. "Sorry, no sugar."

"How do you know this?"

"I can sense it a bit, creeped out the other kids when I was a wee thing."

"Oh, what am I thinking now?"

"Shortest path to Azalea. Yep, I can help you with that. What's your plan?"

"Try to find out the head researcher in Johto is." Brass tried the tea again, now it didn't seem quite as bitter. "Find him, find out what this," he gestured to the worm, "is. And then figure how how to deal with it in the proper way."

"Then what?"

"I don't know. This was supposed to be a vacation, not a new career. But this needs to be done, so I'm doing it."

"So you'll be leaving, soon."

"As soon as I catch my breath."

"Would you mind doing me a favor?"

"What is it?" Werrick stood and took one great step to the cabinent. With one hand he opened it's door, and with the other he collected a folder, an inch thick with paper. Closing the cabinent, he stepped back to his seat. "When you find this Professor of your's, would you mind giving him this?" He passed the file across to Brass.

Brass set the heavy folder down, and began to look through it. Some pages were filled with writing, others were dedicated to sketches of various pokémon (Caterpie, Weedle, Spinarak, their evolutions, etc.), some were mixed. "That I've worked on for most of my time out here. Everything, about every bug you can find, in Ilex, is in that file. Except for this anomaly you found."

"Why do you suddenly sound so clear?"

"Tea can do a lot for a man. Even if he rarely talks to something other then a dog or worm."

"Yes, I will get these to whoever." Brass finished his tea in one gulp. It didn't taste bitter at all. "Would you mind lf we left now?"

"No, problem. Still need me to help carry something?"

"Just the egg, I think I can manage the rest."

"If you say so."


	9. Vibrant Nobodies

"Ever heard of them?"

* * *

><p>Brass followed Werrick through Ilex, again, now on the path to Azalea. The stout man lead with an air of grace despite his persona. It was clear he knew ever branch, every root, ever stone in this wood. "Are we even on a path?" Brass asked.<p>

"Are you kidding. If ya follow a path it will zig-zag, ya back and forth cross the entire forest a good three time. It's always been like that, real pain. It's as if the first travellars wanted us to waste our time."

"Will we pass the shrine?"

"No, that's the price of getting' ya to Azalea by nigh'. Nice little town, good tea and just a good people."

"Mind if I ask about the accent?"

"Downtown Goldenrod, originally, but it seems I absorb a bit from travellers. The weirdness sticks with me, and a proper pattern never seems to set. I've heared other partial psychics have odd ticks, and such. I digress." He stopped suddenly and Brass almost bumped into him. The worm woke from his perch on Brass's bags, he held the bug to stop it from running off. It squirmed but soon calmed.

"Why'd we stop, Werrick?"

"Look there, do you see that flat plot of land between the trees, ten feet up?"

"Yes."

"It's shouldn' be there," he whispered back. "I don't know why it's there, but it has been changed by someone, and they are here. Bip, can you sniff them out." Bip lifted his head up and took a few quick breaths, and then barked ahead. "Thank you, Bip, you'll get a treat when we return. Hey, whoever you are, we know your there, exactly twenty feet in front of us, hidden by adjacent trees."

"You got all that by a scent?"

"No, but don't tell them that," he whispered back. "Come on out! Whoever you are!"

"How did he spot us?" a male voice echoed across the treeline.

"I don't know, but we might as well come out." A higher pitch voice fluttered out. Branches ruffled and the two appeared across from the 'altered' patch of ground, dressed in sky blue garments. Both seemed yooug, middle late teens, at the oldest.

"Who are ya, and whataya doin' in my forest."

"I am Vivi."

"I am Victor. And together we are..."

"Team Skyocean's, V twins."

"Ever heard of them?" Werrick questioned.

"No."

"We are here to capture one of our runaway beasts and you won't stop us," Vivi added tossing her unkept ponytail over her shoulder.

"Is that what the pit is for?" Werrick asked. The twins just stared at the two. "Hey what's that behind you?"

Vivi and Victor turned, and scampered backward, shaking in fear. It was a bit late that they realized that had built their pit trap just there.

"Gastly, when did you?" Brass lifted ups his shirt. The inside of the front was soaked in the slimey ectoplasm that Gastly left. "This was my favorite shirt. How many times do I have to tell you, if you want some air, just tell me." Gastly laughed voraciously. Little Bip gave an appleased squeal.

"Let's keep going, Brass, 'Ese two will be stay out of trouble for a bit."

"Hey, help us out!" Victor shouted as the two walked around the pit trap. "Come on, we're not bad guys, Hey come on."

"Your wasting your breath Victor," Vivi said passign him his silver beret. "They are leaving us down here.?"

"The trap wasn't intended for them, isn't that enough?"

"I think you have to make it clear to them early, so they understand."

"Well let's hope it doesn't come this way, Alph will kill us."

"Do you hear that clomping."

"Damn, how does it do that?"

"Well it is unique, why else are we chasing it."

The twins looked up and the lone Ponyta leaped across their pit, whinnying as it flew above. It's blue mane following behind it.

"Sir, it just" pass our position, Victor reporting. Target has penetrated the barrier, it is gone."

"Again! When will you too learn."

"But-"

"No buts, you are out of the next mission, return to Goldenrod. Jean will be taking over."

[Click]


	10. Diversions

"What a waste. I suppose that's how they keep you buying more..."

* * *

><p>Werrick left him as soon as he checked in to the little old style inn to get back to his cabin. Brass could still taste the sweet tea in his mouth. Man, if this is what the stars look like from a a small town, what do they look like from the forest?<p>

"Sir, dinner will soon be served." the server spoke throght the paper door.

"Thank you, I'll be down," Brass replied, turning back to unpack his things.

"Idiot!" Brass had an egg, a worm, a bag of tools, and a bag of books. His distinct lack of spare clothes dawned on him.. He set everything next to the matress, including Gastly's statuette. "There, you have free reign now, do whatever you want." Gastly did not respond.

After dinner Brass floated in the warm bath. He hadn't gotten that dirty - with actual dirt, not sink slime – in years. Apparently the inn even offer laundry services, his clothes would be in his room, and a fresh cotton robe was hung just outside for him. "This is the life. Could do without the feudal style, but at least they have plumbing."

That night, after he closed his eyes, Brass found himself flying. High above an ocean of whirlpools. Then he tripped and woke with a startle. One of the couples he saw at dinner was shifting about in adjacent room, however they were modest enough for him to easily sleep again.

Brass ran his hand down the kimono's sleeve, imagining it against his skin. An overhead light buzzed in the unconditioned air, providing only just enough light for him to not trip over the messy storeroom. He had passively mentioned his lack of clothing to the clerk and was joyously shown the back room, full of the old clothing.

He had chosen a set of five and lefted them near the door, all had been plain, but the one he held in his hand had a lush gold trim. _This is going to cost me a bit isn't it. _He lifted the fabric and folded on itself and set it on rack next to him. Something shook in the corner. Brass turned and drew one of the dozen pokéballs he bought before being shoved into the dusty firehazard. Pushing garments aside, he navigated the sea of cloth, until he found saw the plain wood chest.

The green splotch color darted from behind the wood and scurttled over the wall, and across the ceiling. Brass tossed the ball with grace of a tauros, missing the target by meter, almost smashing the lights, and chipping the rotting ceiling.

Brass cursed as the it disappeared behind a shelf of folded obi. Grabbing the one other pokéball he had not left in his bag. He swam towards the shelf slowly, waiting to strike his prey in an instant.

The instant came all to suddenly. It leaped from nowhere and crashed into his face. It twisted its head around until the compact eyes were centimeters from Brass's.

Brass dropped the ball. The red glow engulfed the monstrous spinarak and returned to its source.

The ball wiggled once, and then again, and once more, then stopping. Brass sighed and then minimized the sphere. Shoving it in a pocket while returning to his feet.. He tried to retrieve the other pokéball he had thrown, only to find it ruind. _What a waste. I suppose that's how they keep you buying more..._Finding where he had laid the gold-trimmed kimono, he slung it gently across his shoulders, and headed again to the corner, with the chest. So what if he was curious.

It was full of jewelry, necklaces, bracelets, earings, etc. Each seemed to glimmer in the faint dusty light. At the bottom of the pile was a wooden case, the perfect size for pencils. Its content, though, weas much more glorious then ratty old writing implements, a pair of hairpens of beautiful black wood, adorned with silver and gold. He closed the lid wondering if these like the old kimonos could be purchased. Among the rest he found a silver bracelet with a shine he fancied, and it fell onto his wrist perfectly.

Brass was still trying to get the dust out of his longs when he got back into the Pokémart's main room. It was modern, and shine with the familiar gleam of the Department Store in Goldenrod. Only one person was browsing the store, dressed no different then most people in this town. He held something in his hand, but Brass only caught a glimpse when he passed.

"I see you found what you needed, and this is..." Brass set the three kimonos he had chosen, with the box, and bracelet before the clerk.

"There was a box of trinkets back there, and a rather viscious spinarak. I was wondering if I might purchase them as well as the kimonos."

She opened the box, and smiled. "A gift? Or do you plan on growing out your hair?"

"A gift."

"Keep the trinkets. They might as well be put to someone's use. As for the kimonos, my mother would have my head if I didn't put that inheritence to some use."

Brass counted out the price of an expensive dinner, and handed it to, "What is your name? I don't think I caught it when you pulled me to the back."

"Saya, and I think that would be enough." Brass stopped counting and handed it across the counter.

"Thank you very much, Saya. You have helped me greatly." She picked up his bags, and placed the garments and trinkets into the one his sister had given him.

"It's fine, I'm just glad I could help."

"Farewell, and thanks." Brass grabbed the egg incubator, and stepped trhough the sliding doors. _Wait a second. Did that man have a sword?_


	11. Another Step Forward

Really, you do not know who Elm

* * *

><p>Mac sat crosslegged in the barren lobby, papers strewn in a semicircle around him, a black notebook in his lap, full of his numerous notes and comments. He was not sick of the work, though. In fact he was enjoying looking through the logs and cases, recording the important bits, marking the inconsistencies between rulings in matters referring to pokémon, and their participation in the law.<p>

Pulling a short packet from the back of his notebook', Mac scanned it. The report covered an instance of homocide, in which the pokémon commanded was 'euthanized' when its trainer was imprisoned. Demonstraters had appeared in protest, but the majority was still soon convinced that the beast was no longer safe to let live.

Mac placed the packet on the left of his arc, where when re piled, it would land on top. He would reexamine the entirety at some point, now was just organizing his data for proper analysis. He continued to remove report and report from a stuffed pile in the back of the notebook, skimming them for assessment, finding the severity of each situation, and placing them in his arc.

Just after Mac had placed his final report, the lobby's doors hummed open, and a very encumbered looking man stepped in. He had just enough hair to fluff obnoxiously, and carried on his shoulder two large bags, one looking like is was stuffed with clothes.

Mac ran his hand across his scattering of papers, stacking them into a pile. He stood, shoving the pile into his notebook. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No, I'm not," he replied hobbling to a chair to releive himself of the bags, and the egg chamber Mac hadn't seen. "How can you tell?"

"The work shirt, no one dresses like that here, what do you do?" Mac tossed the notebook onto the chair with his bag. "What do you do?"

"Was a plumber, still am at heart. But who would have guessed it? I got tired of living in a city of gold?"

Mac chuckled. "Sorry, that was rude to jab you with questions, I'm Marcel Corcern. Call me Mac." He offered his hand, "I imagine I am something like a law student."

"Brass Ministra." Brass shook his hand, firmly. "Do you happen to know where the nurse is?"

"She is visiting a slowpoke elsewhere in town. She left me to mind the place for a bit. Do your pokémon need healing or some such?"

"Not really know, but I was told she might be able to get me in contact with a pokémon professor?"

"Might I ask why?"

"It's a worm, I found in Ilex. Not a weedle, something else. After finding it, I met a man who lives out there."

"Werrick?"

"You know him?"

"People in town know him, apparently not a bad guy. Go on."

"He had no idea either, I need a proffesional."

"And then you need to explain it. Got it. I think I might be able to help. I have a friend in Kanto who works in Celadon who might be able to help."

"Why so helpful."

"This is a problem, I like solving problems. Give me a sec." Mac turned and pulled out his pokégear. He scrolled through his claa list until he found the name he wanted, then click. It ringed a few times and then she picked up.

"Hello Mac, what's up?"

"Michelle, I have a situation here with a unidentified pokémon found in Ilex."

"Did someone check the books or a computer for that matter?"

"Brass, what have you tried?"

"I checked _The Complete Kanto/Johto Pokémon Encyclopedia_. Beyond that Werrick seemed to be quite an expert on native Ilex pokémon."

"It is not in the encyc, and we have a native who has never seen it before."

"I'll see what I can do, but you owe me Mac."

"Don't I always?" The connection clicked off and Mac turned back to Brass. "She's seeing what she can do."

"How much is that?"

"Nothing too shabby."

"Ring! Ring! Ring! Phone call! Phonecall! Ring! Ring! Ring! Phone call!..." One of the videophones began shouting on repeat.

"I think its for you." Brass walked towards the row of phones, and answered the call. A skinny man with a collared shirt and lab coat appeared.

"A friend says something is amiss is Ilex." It was almost as much as a question as it was a statement.

Brass removed unlclipped the ball containing the curious worm and released it onto the counter.

"I found this in the forest." The man brought is head closer to the screen and blinked.

"Very odd, this is definitely not native. Give me a second." The man disappeared for about two minutes, Brass kept busy containing the worm. "It appears you have found yourself a wurmple."

"A Wupple?" Mac leanded over Brass to get a look.

"Wurmple. They are native to the Hoenn region. What one is doing in Ilex is beyond me. Sorry, I'll make a note and see what my colleagues say. I don't suppose you would mind transferring it to me for study, I suppose I should get your gear number as well.?"

"Not at all," Brass returned the wurmple to its ball and transferred it. As it shifted in transit, Brass gave the man his number.

"Thank you, thank you. Now I need to get to work. Bye." Click.

"Who was that?" Brass wondered out loud.

"You don't know who that was?" Mac sounded astonished. "Elm, head researcher in Johto. How do you not know this?"

"I guess I just haven't worried about anything outside my little box ever before. How the hell did her know to call here?"

"My gear has a tracker, tells my friends where I call from. Michelle must have passed it on. Really, you do not know who _Elm_ is?"

"Hello... this is the Pidgeot Express. If you wish for an item to be picked up, press one."

[Beep]

"Your package will be... picked up at the... Azalea Pokémon Center... at... eight A.M. Thank you for your business."


End file.
